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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25967590">Something Yours To Keep</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/melolove_429/pseuds/melolove_429'>melolove_429</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NU'EST</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>ARen needs more AUs PLEASE, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Minor Anxiety attack, Senior year, cursing, implied sexual content but super small part, jamie references everywhere, struggles of coming out</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:42:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,480</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25967590</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/melolove_429/pseuds/melolove_429</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mingi hides 2 secrets from his best friend since freshman year, Kwak Aron.</p><p>1. his part time job as a drag queen.<br/>2. his long, due buried feelings for him. </p><p>With graduation coming soon, these two are in for a crazy ride.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aaron Kwak | Aron/Choi Minki | Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Nu'fics x The Parallel</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Something Yours To Keep</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Once again, let’s give it up for...Mina!” A loud chorus of hoots and cheers came from the audience as Mina blew them all a kiss as well as twirled for them.</p><p>“Mina! Mina! Mina! Mina!” They continued to chant as Mina left the stage, picking up a duffle bag and walking straight to the nearest restroom.</p><p>The jet black stilettos go off and…</p><p>the transformation begins.</p><p>
  <i> Mina returns to reality. Mina becomes Mingi, once again. </i>
</p><p>He takes off his wig, removing all the bobby pins that he had stuck there a couple of hours ago.</p><p>
  <i> Just another normal night at the Foxie Cabaret. </i>
</p><p>He rummaged his bag, looking for his cleanser and cotton pads.</p><p>“Min...gi?” A voice echoed in what he thought was an empty restroom.</p><p>It took him a few seconds to calm himself...and another to have a realization to the source of voice he just heard.</p><p>“A-Aron hyung?”</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>1 month. Graduation.</p><p>
  <i> The last hurrah as people would say. </i>
</p><p>Mingi saw his fellow blockmates and batchmates sprinting (almost crawling), faces almost identical to zombies with caffeinated drinks on one hand, while laptops and what seemed to be  hundreds if not thousands of notebooks and papers clutched on chests with the other.</p><p>“Hyung, this sem is literally killing us! You should see what’s happening outside, I believe an apocalypse has actually happened.” He shared to Aron as he closed the small, cramped space that is the university’s first blackbox theater.</p><p>Being a senior theater major has its perks, most of the time. Such as having the privilege of having automatic reservations of certain venues, timed to his liking.</p><p>However, it does require lots of patience and motivation. May it be coming up for a theme, outlining a plot or memorizing lines for a play. Such aspects are some of the key factors.</p><p>Just like right now.</p><p>“Hyung, are you almost done? We still need to polish your lines…” He sat beside Aron, his best friend since freshman year.</p><p>“Hold on, Mingi-ya. I just need to finish this part.” He watches as the other young man typed on his laptop.</p><p>At first, Mingi thought that agreeing with the journalism major to have the documentary focus on him and his life as a young man, pursuing theater as well as his projects and in turn, having Aron take the lead of his mini play, which consists of a single monologue, would make things easier. He was wrong. Very wrong.</p><p>“Aaaaand...we are done! All I need is to piece this last part I filmed to the rest and we got ourselves… a masterpiece! Or well...enough to pass at least...” Mingi rolled his eyes as the older giggled and closed his laptop.  The older then proceeded to scoot closer to him.</p><p>
  <i> Lub dub. Lub dub. </i>
</p><p>Another small little aspect that made this agreement a little more complicated was the fact that Mingi has this small secret; a four year dramatic and painful crush on his hyung.</p><p>He silently attempted to calm his now thumping heart as Aron read through the lines of his final play.</p><p>Wall in My Head.</p><p>“Alright...the stage is yours, sir.” He motioned Aron center stage as the older sighed, standing to take his position.</p><p>Aron slowly shifted into character and sat at the edge as his feet dangled.</p><p> <b> <i> “Well, that’s the end, is it not? Me...and this stupid ass wall… God!<br/>
Everything that I have invested in… years and years of studying...learning...absorbing.<br/>
It all lands to this very moment.<br/>
What will my parents say? My sisters? My best friend?<br/>
That they were right? That all this hard work...this effort...put to waste.<br/>
All because of a fucking ton of bricks stacked together...(...)” </i> </b></p><p>Mingi observed everything. </p><p>The way his lead slouched in exhaustion. How his eyes and eyebrows would scrunch up in pain and disappointment, on point with how the character should be.</p><p>However, the younger also noticed beyond that.</p><p>The older’s eyes sparkled with sincerity and authenticity with every word he uttered. How his voice spoke as if, the character and him were one and the same. How his lips moved…</p><p>
  <i> Dub. Dub. Dub. Lub dub. Lub dub. Dub. Lub. </i>
</p><p>His heartbeat pounded at a dangerous rate as a thin sheet of sweat formed on his forehead.</p><p>“Mi-Mingi?” Aron’s voice immediately snapped him out of his thoughts.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“I said, how was it?</p><p>Mingi blinked thrice before he processed the question.</p><p>“O-Oh! Hmmm...not bad, hyung. However, I just need you to just do a bit more...anger or like frustration…”</p><p>He kept coaching the inexperienced man, from letting him show a better way to sit to showing him a more impactful way of pronouncing the words.<br/>
“Oh crap! It’s almost 8!” The two young men had been rehearsing for the past few hours, with Aron managing to joke around every five seconds, much to Mingi’s annoyance and delight.</p><p>It would have been completely fine; if he didn’t happen to be the main performer at the cabaret tonight. </p><p>
  <i> Shit, Mina takes hours to happen.  </i>
</p><p>The younger swiftly picked up all his belongings, much to the journalism major’s confusion.</p><p>“Mingi-ya, do you need to go to the bathroom or something? I have never seen you rush like this before…”</p><p>He ignored his hyung as he was about to leave, not noticing how his bag’s zipper was not fully closed.</p><p>“Mingi-ya your bag--”</p><p>It was too late. The contents of the younger had now fallen…</p><p>including a luscious, long, lightly curled blonde wig.</p><p>Much to his horror.</p><p>With his mouth agape, Mingi looked down on the hairpiece...almost freezing for a moment.</p><p>
  <i> Shit. shit. Shit. </i>
</p><p>As if his body was on autopilot, he quickly picked it up and shoved it back on his back before sprinting away from his hyung, leaving the other dumbfounded.</p><p> ••••• </p><p>3 days later. The final projects.</p><p>
  <i> Finally. </i>
</p><p>Mingi and Aron decided to set aside how their last encounter ended to make way for their last requirements.</p><p>The younger was currently seated at the very back of the journalism department’s confined space of a viewing room, as his hyung showed the result of both precise directing and caffeinated nights.</p><p>“Are you scared, Mingi-ya? Of realizing the realities that the theater industry has for you?”</p><p>Mingi watched himself on screen as it showed him, eyes looking up for an answer to the question.</p><p>“Well...of course I am. Who wouldn’t be? However, I believe that it takes a different type of courage and risk to just...have it hit you and to choose to keep going…”</p><p>It slowly faded out as a collective clapping can be heard.</p><p>The professor calls Aron in front for the question and answer portion.</p><p>The young man looked at Mingi as he gave him a thumbs up, which he reciprocated with a small smile.</p><p>Little to no questions were asked, which proved to be a success on Aron’s part.</p><p>Mingi barely paid attention to what was happening. He only focused on how his hyung eloquently explained all the clarifications that were thrown at him.</p><p>Wow...this is why he makes me go crazy everytime…</p><p>A light tap on his shoulder halted all his thoughts as he flinched.</p><p>“Daydreaming again, Mingi-ya?”</p><p>The dazed boy rolled his eyes and grinned as he saw the man he was exactly daydreaming about.</p><p>“Whatever, Mr. I Am Perfect in every aspect…”</p><p>The younger stood up and they left to tackle the last obstacle.</p><p>“Here, wear this.” Mingi handed a huge paper bag to his muse. In all senses of the word.</p><p>“I...I am not sure about this Mingi-ya…the clothes you’ve made me wear back then were quite… the statement.”</p><p>The older let out a nervous laugh as the other glared at him.</p><p>“Alright, alright…” The older raised his hands in surrender as he went to the washroom near them to change.</p><p>5 minutes. 10 minutes. 15 minutes. 20. </p><p>Mingi started to get anxious as Aron had not come out yet. He repeatedly looked at his watch before he decided to follow him inside.</p><p>“Hyung, what’s taking you so--”</p><p>Mingi was rendered speechless when he finally saw his choice of clothing on the other.</p><p>An all black ensemble, where in the top was a long sleeve cut, with the upper part being completely matte with tassel-like features while the lower part was made of see-through mesh material, exposing his stomach and sides. His bottom paired perfectly; black combat pants with glitter on them with black tassel boots.</p><p>Mingi gulped as he saw his hyung’s inked waist.</p><p>
  <i> Dub. dubdub. Lublub lub. Dublubdub. </i>
</p><p>He had to grip the sink nearest to him as he tried not to <em> collapse </em>  from the gem that was staring back at him.</p><p>“Ya, are you alright?”</p><p>Aron came closer and placed a hand on his arm and stared straight at him, checking any signs of nausea.</p><p>It took all of his power and strength to pull back.</p><p>“Yeah. Wait no…”</p><p>He looked up at Aron, now with glassy eyes.</p><p>“Hyung...what if this is not gonna work? What if it's boring? Or my prof won’t like it? What if…”</p><p>His voice cracked before he could continue as tears streamed.<br/>
“Hey...hey…” Aron once again moved closer to Mingi and cupped his face, wiping the tears that caught in his thumb.</p><p>“I will make sure that everything you’ve worked hard for...will not go to waste. I will give them the best performance they have ever witnessed...they will applaud you, Mingi-ya. Trust me, okay?”</p><p>Mingi was calmed by Aron’s warm hands on his face as his tears were reduced to sniffles. They both focused on each other’s eyes as their gaze communicated words of reassurance and strength to one another.</p><p>  •••••  </p><p>They both arrived at the blackbox theater, where in the pair assigned on the timeslot before them were almost finished performing.</p><p>Mingi felt like running away once again when he felt a hand squeeze his tightly while rubbing the back of his hand.</p><p>“Choi Mingi and uh...Kwak Aron, you’re next.” He jolted upon hearing his name.</p><p>“U-uh yes, sir.” He dragged Aron to the stage, the older taking his position while he sat beside his professor.</p><p>This was it. It was all or nothing. He took a deep breath.</p><p>“Whenever you’re ready.” His professor motioned to the man onstage as the latter nodded.</p><p>Mingi felt numb and nauseous.</p><p>Until…</p><p>The first line that came out of his mouth was enough to leave everyone in shock.</p><p>His muse did not drop his word after all.</p><p>Every movement felt natural, every word uttered felt real.<br/>
All the pointers he handed to his hyung, from appearing defeated yet not sluggish to adding more frustration in his voice, were evident in how he carried himself.</p><p>Mingi was still stuck in stupor, not noticing that the monologue had ended.</p><p>Silence enveloped the confined space.</p><p>Then he heard a slow clap at his right.</p><p>“Bravo! That was magnificent, Mr. Kwak!”</p><p>The praised man walked towards him and took his hand as he squeezed it once again</p><p>“This student of yours is the one you should be giving all the compliments, sir.”</p><p>Mingi looked at him who gave him a small smile which he gave back.</p><p>“Of course! Once again, you never cease to amaze me, Mingi.”</p><p>He was shocked to see the middle aged man, giving him a tight-lipped yet genuine smile. Which is something he rarely does.</p><p>They both exited the theater with huge grins.</p><p>“See, Mingi-ya? I told you-- oof!”</p><p>The theater major enveloped his hyung in a bone-crushing hug, grateful for what he had just done.</p><p>“Hyung, we finally did it! We’re graduating!”</p><p>He heard the older chuckle at his ear while wrapping his arms around his waist.</p><p>“Uh, Mingi-ya…”</p><p>Realizing that they were hugging a little too long, he quickly let go.</p><p>“Well, since we don’t really have anything to do before grad, why don’t we celebrate? Let’s go to that samgyupsal restaurant you have been dying to go to tomorrow!”</p><p>Upon hearing the offer, Mingi’s face dropped. </p><p>“Uh, I can’t go tomorrow hyung. What about tonight?”</p><p>The older looks at him, confused.</p><p>“Apparently it’s already booked tonight. Wait, why can’t we go tomorrow?”</p><p>Mingi scanned his brain for an answer.</p><p>“I-I have something important to attend to…”</p><p>“Maybe I can help out then we can go eat afterwards?” Aron offered as he placed his hand on Mingi’s arm.</p><p>“It’s something that isn’t just for a few hours and um...I can only be the only one who can do it…”</p><p>The younger panicked as he ran out of excuses to tell his best friend.</p><p>“Why can’t I help? Is it something really really--”</p><p>“HYUNG! I just...I just can’t tomorrow.” Aron was startled at the raised tone Mingi used.</p><p>Mingi realized what he had done before looking away.</p><p>“I...I’m really sorry…”</p><p>He shook his head as he once again abandoned Aron.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>“A-Aron-hyung?” Mingi saw the older as the latter eyed him up and down, not fully comprehending what he saw.</p><p>The young drag queen wanted the floor to swallow him whole. This was not how he wanted to reveal it to him: in a barely functional washroom at a cabaret almost twice as old as him while covered in layers of makeup and a panty hose on his head.</p><p>“How did you find me? This place?” All the shame and vulnerability that he felt knocked him that he could not even look at the older. Instead he looked down.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter how I found you or this place. Why--”</p><p>“Well to me it does! This is not how I wanted to show it to you! Heck, I am not even sure if I actually do!! How sure am I that my best friend will not think twice of throwing me away from his life once he finally finds out that his best friend does drag as a part time job? That he will spread rumors about me and have everyone disgusted by me? How--”</p><p>Mingi found himself unable to finish as he dropped on his knees and broke down.<br/>
His dolled up face smeared as tears kept flowing.</p><p>
  <i> This is goodbye. </i>
</p><p>He prepared to hear footsteps walking away…</p><p>but was instead met with them coming closer and arms wrapping around his waist and a weight on his shoulder.</p><p>He froze in surprise at the warmth Aron gave.</p><p>“Mina was it? Can you please tell her that she was flawless tonight?”</p><p>That was enough for Mingi to completely bawl into the older’s shoulder, smearing it with mascara and foundation.</p><p>
  <i> Shit, he really is the one. If only he felt the same way. </i>
</p><p>   ••••• </p><p>“Here you go.” Aron moved the plate of meat towards Mingi’s direction.</p><p>Mingi, now fully changed, shyly took a piece and popped it in his mouth, enjoying the sweet and salty taste it had.</p><p>“Is it good?” He nodded towards the older who gave him a soft smile.</p><p>He almost choked at the sight as he reached his glass of water and looked around.</p><p>They were the only ones left in the restaurant.</p><p>“Mingi-ya…” He once again faced the older with curiosity.</p><p>“Yes, hyung?”</p><p>Mingi felt Aron’s hand on his as he moved closer, almost making him breathless.</p><p>Aron cleared his throat, making Mingi tense up.</p><p>“I...I am not really sure how I could start this but… have you ever thought of um…”</p><p>Mingi urged his hyung to continue.</p><p>“Um...to be…her? On campus? Or maybe on um...grad?”</p><p>Mingi saw his hyung had a nervous look as he finally had a grasp on what he was trying to say, to which he immediately shut down any thought of.</p><p>“Not happening hyung. I am not gonna be murdered before I graduate. Besides, I am not even sure if that’s allowed…” He mumbled the last part, almost inaudible to the older.</p><p>“Well...according to the student council, as long as you are following the dress code, you can express yourself however you want…”</p><p>Mingi rolled his eyes. Of course Aron would know such a thing.</p><p>“I sometimes forget how popular you are, hyung. Guess those fundraisers they invite you to pay off in the end, huh?”</p><p>Aron was the one who rolled his eyes this time. Mingi could not help but snicker at his hyung. </p><p>That was how he met him. At one of the student council’s fundraiser concerts, at freshman year. Aron’s version of  “So Sick” was enough to make him lovesick towards him.</p><p>“That’s out of the point Mingi-ya…why not go as Mina for grad?”</p><p>The crossdresser between the two sighed exasperatedly.</p><p>“Hyuuuuung….I will seriously have my funeral before I can receive a diploma with what you are suggesting…”</p><p>Aron squeezed Mingi’s hand.</p><p>“Mingi-ya...I am being serious. Don’t you want…</p><p>something that’s yours to keep…?”</p><p>Silence filled the restaurant as the weight was placed on him.</p><p>  ••••• </p><p>Graduation. D-day.</p><p>
  <i> The end of an era. </i>
</p><p>Aron stood there, in his dark blue toga, waiting for him.</p><p>He stared at him from afar as the older kept checking his phone, probably for a message.</p><p>He decided to call his hyung.</p><p>“Mingi-ya, where are you--”</p><p>“Hyung, let’s see each other later!”</p><p>He hung up even before the receiver could react.</p><p>  ••••• </p><p>“Kwak Aron, honorable mention.” His block mates whistled and cheered for him as he received his diploma and medal.</p><p>Mingi could not be any prouder. He stood up, clapping as they made eye contact with each other before the older stepped down the stage.</p><p>The ceremony went on and on until it was his block’s turn.</p><p>Here goes nothing.</p><p>He slowly walked to the side of the stage in his white, open-toed heels.</p><p>Yes, he thought long and hard over what Aron had told him.</p><p>And…</p><p>“Choi Mingi.”</p><p>He opened his toga, revealing a short, sleeveless white dress with a collar and a chiffon material covering from the collarbone until just right above the sweetheart neckline.</p><p>The whole crowd, from the administrators, his fellow graduates, and finally....Aron, let out a gasp.</p><p>However, unlike most...Aron’s gasp was out of awe.</p><p>“Mina never fails...” The older mumbled to himself before he stood up and cheered him on.</p><p>It was not long before the whole batch slowly stood one by one and cheered for the beautiful man on stage as he teared up at the sight.</p><p>The administrator gave him a kind smile as he received his diploma.</p><p>  •••••   </p><p>He looked on his batchmates who were busy taking photos together at the university field, seated on a bench at a nearby building. </p><p>Amongst them was the man of his dreams. His best friend.</p><p>The older then spots him before walking towards him.</p><p>“Mina slayed again, I see…” He rolled his eyes playfully at his hyung as the latter sat beside him.</p><p>“Why did you wanna see me here again?” Mingi simply looked down.</p><p>“It’s really nice here hyung, really quiet. Especially with the night sky too…”</p><p>“Damn, Mingi-ya. You sound as if you’re either about to kill me or confess to me…”</p><p>Mingi felt his heart almost explode. Why is Kwak Aron always one step ahead of him?</p><p>“W-wait...you’re not confessing, are you?”</p><p>That was it for Mingi. He was about to sprint away before a hand caught his wrist.</p><p>“You didn’t let me finish Mingi-ya… I was gonna say that you should not confess to me. I mean, not before I do.”</p><p>The younger’s eyes widened as he faced Aron, who now stood in front of him, inches away from his face.</p><p>“W-what? Since when?” The older held his face, rubbing his cheeks with his thumb. Just like that day his anxiety attacked him.</p><p>“The first time we met, Mingi-ya. When you approached me, you looked so...beautiful. The way you introduced yourself with such life… I knew I was gonna fall in love...”</p><p>The younger could not believe what he had just heard.</p><p>“So we were mutually in love with each other? We could have been a thing four years ago??”</p><p>The older tilted Mingi’s chin as he gave him a small peck, giggling at the latter’s lips and mumbling ‘yeah, baby’.</p><p>Mingi felt a tear fall as Aron wiped it before he pushed their lips into a deeper kiss.</p><p>Aron’s hands moved to hold his new partner’s waist, pulling him closer.</p><p>It didn’t take long before the new couple pulled away before Aron held Mingi’s hand, giving it a peck and walking towards his car, as they rode it to who knows where.<br/>
The two could not get each other’s eyes off of one another, their gazes desiring to make up for lost time. Eventually, Aron couldn’t handle the pressure as he turned to an empty street and pulled over as they moved in the backseat, the younger ending up on Aron’s lap as their lips met once again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi guys! I hope you all liked the result of my weird imagination, sleep deprivation and intense overthinking.</p><p>Also I apologize for any inaccuracies for any theater and journalism students, I tried to base it on research and what I saw with my friends in college. 😬😬</p><p>Please do leave some comments (can be a critique-that ain't too harsh please I am really new to this-<br/>or maybe a release of feels hehe) </p><p>Anyway, I hope I gave all of y’all a little sprinkle of happiness!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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